How does culture and grief shape who we are?

Caroline Perry is a proud Maori woman, who grew up in Christchurch, New Zealand, in home with her sister, and multiple foster siblings her parents cared for over the years.

But at the age of 14, her family moved to Australia and she found herself isolated from her friends, her culture, and her sister who had decided to stay in New Zealand. While struggling in high school, she also found ways to keep a strong sense of culture alive, and it’s this culture that has played a significant role in her developing sense of identity as she’s grown older.

Just a few years ago, Caroline and her family experienced an extremely sad loss, but through this time again Caroline was able to draw on her culture to find a sense of comfort and strength.

Today, the resilience she’s built and her sense of culture help her support countless young Maori and Indigenous Australians through her work in youth justice. 

Her incredible story demonstrates how an identity that draws on a strong sense of culture can be someone’s most powerful strength.

Please note that this episode does describe instances of domestic violence and suicide. If you need support, please reach out to these support groups:

• For support with experiences of domestic and family violence, please contact 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit their website.
• For support with mental health concerns, consider calling Lifelife Australia on 13 11 14